How Will I Remember 9/11?

GeneaBloggers posted the following today:

"How Will You Remember 9/11?


Each year, GeneaBloggers takes time to remember the events of September 11, 2011 and encourages genealogy bloggers all over the world to post about their own memories of that day. We’ll do a roll-up of members posts starting at 8:45 am EDT – please join us."


First... my family lives in a mobile home park that limits what we can and cannot do out of doors. However, we are flying our flag proudly on Saturday to commemorate this great tragedy in our country's history. Beginning at sundown, candles will be lit in every single window, showing that we remember each individual who lost their life that day.
 
 

 
Second... I like to take time to remember the day itself. Just a simple introspective look into my own life. How well I remember having the radio on as I worked, playing softly in the background, when the news of the first plane hitting the towers came across. I almost missed it!
 
I quickly cut on the television and a live feed was already in progress. I saw the second plane hit live. I will never forget the feeling I had when I saw that, knowing that a second plane was no accident. When realization came that it was an attack, and word came of the other two planes... I fell to the floor on my knees, literally.
 
I grabbed the phone and called my husband at work.
 
He was choked up as he said, "We're watching it here, too."
 
I hope and pray that I never forget the sick feeling I had that day. I am certain it was similar to the feeling many had the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, or when Fort Sumter was fired upon, or when the first shot of the American Revolution rang out. A feeling of, "God Help Us!"
 
It certainly changed my life. The little things that used to rattle me, simply don't matter any more. I was such a perfectionist before, wanting everything to be exactly as I planned it to be. Now... things are simply things... it's the people that's important in my life. The family and friends. And the community of friends that I share online as well.
 
While my possessions are appreciated, and some even treasured, I know my world wouldn't end if I lost them all tomorrow. What I would be lost without, are those people who are so dear to me.
 
And that's the greatest gift of all.
 
For that, the tragedy of 9/11's harshest of hard lessons, I think the people of this nation learned alot about themselves and each other that day.
 
Who can ever forget the heroism and the images displayed from the tragedy?
 
Or seeing those who couldn't find their loved ones, and the simply not knowing, as they searched, waited, prayed, and the awful truth of learning the worst.
 
As a nation our hearts bled. But as a nation we rallied together. We saw our young boys become men, and our young men become heroes.
 
We saw a people who united under the greatest of circumstances, who responded in a time of need, as in no other.
 
Who could ever forget that day???
 
Never... as long as I live... do I intend to forget it, or the lessons it taught me. THAT would be the greatest tragedy of all.